I’ve just emailed out this update for my 2500 Clue Challenge – if you’d like to be put on the mailing list, then please email me at 2500cluechallenge@danielpeake.com .

Hello everyone! You’re receiving this email as you’ve expressed an interest in my 2500 Clue Challenge. If you don’t want to receive these updates, then please cry in the corner (and email me at 2500cluechallenge@danielpeake.com and I’ll remove you from the list).

Cooee! This update is a tad delayed due to the fact that I’ve been overloaded with things and it’s just been too much to deal with until now (I’m writing this on a train journey home with little else to do!). But I’m writing it now, which is the main thing.

In July I solved 219 out of 665 clues (32.9%), taking me to 1519 clues in total and about 6 days ahead of schedule. This means I’ve reached 1500 clues! If you’ve pledged £25, it’s time to donate the next fiver at http://www.justgiving.com/danielpeake2500 . I’ll send a separate reminder email in the next couple of days.

July’s Clue Of The Month is a toughie by Qaos (26/07/13): ’80s band dates ’80s musician (7). (answer later)

I was lucky enough to study for a year in Oklahoma as I may have mentioned one or two (dozen) times. Before travelling out there, I was feeling unhappy, and wasn’t entirely sure why. I was really looking forward to Oklahoma a lot, and one of my thoughts was “when I get to Oklahoma, it’ll be a fresh start and things will improve”. But when I arrived in Oklahoma, I still had all my emotional baggage with me and I still felt unhappy.

This is an example of an escapist fantasy – it’s a fairly common thing that people with depression can share, although I’m not sure if there’s a specific term for it. It’s quite common for people to think “If only [SOMETHING], then I’ll feel better.” Sometimes that is the case – for example a job can make you unhappy and moving jobs may help as I can testify. But quite a lot of the time, it’s symptomatic of something else, of something more emotional or personal that a simple change of circumstances can’t help. That I can certainly testify.

I’ve changed jobs, and that has certainly helped me. But I’ve got quite a bit more weight on my shoulders still to go. And the only way to deal with it is, I hate to say, by talking to other people. I’m a bit of a hypocrite in this respect as I’m someone who likes to keep my personal issues private, and so I don’t talk to many (or indeed any, usually!) people about my difficulties. I don’t mind admitting that I have difficulties (because who doesn’t), but saying what they are is a step I find too difficult.

And I’m sure I’m not the only one. Even though I want to get better, I want to talk to others… it’s so very very difficult. So be supportive of those with depression. Sometimes, like me, they just don’t quite know what to do next in relation to talking with others.

In other news, if YOU have a room in London for a depressed little bunny, that likes a bit of peace and quiet with a budget of £650 per month, please let me know! I’m on the lookout to move into London to reduce my commuting time so that I then have more time to, well, live! Go running, go to the pub, socialise, have private me time, sightsee, and so on. So please let me know!

Thank you to everyone for all the support that you are giving me, it does mean a lot. I’d like to invite you to ask me any questions you have about the challenge and depression, and I’ll answer them in the August update. Please send me the questions by email.

Hopefully your August update will be fairly soon after the end of August… as long as I don’t end up completely disabled by www.thenutschallenge.co.uk on 31 August. Should be fun. (Emphasis on SHOULD…)

Finally, the answer to Clue Of The Month is: ERASURE. ’80s band is the definition, dates = ERAS, ’80s musician = URE (as in Midge Ure). I love how that clue came together. Well done Qaos.